The politicians in Moldova are interested in conserving inequality, not in liquidating this, said jurist Ștefan Gligor. In the public debate “Equality: culture, practice or illusion?”, held by IPN, the expert said the politicians use social, economic and ethnic inequality to divide society and to push some of its parts towards confrontation. They need inequality for electoral and political purposes.
Ștefan Gligor is convinced that only the citizens can improve the situation as regards the creation and ensuring of equal rights in Moldova. “The citizens are those who know and realize their rights and obligations, show civic activism and exert pressure on local elected officials, MPs and inspection bodies. They vote, but also ask that the local elected officials report on the fulfillment of the made promises. If they are disappointed or disagree, they fight for power, realizing that they can do things better than the current politicians at one level or another. They grow from contemplators, observers to solicitants,” explained the expert of IPN’s project “Overcoming of European Integration Stereotypes by Communication”.
He insisted that in the current situation in Moldova, the main role in ensuring equality is played by civil society. “It is a complex problem. It cannot be easily solved, but when a critical mass of people appear in society and these defend the rights, can resist misinformation, manipulations referring to the division of society, the prospects will become clearer,” noted Ștefan Gligor.
He stated that Moldova needs a developed civil society and initiative groups at the local level that would signal flagrant cases of inequality and human rights violations. “We should stimulate the development of civic activism so that we feel the necessity of applying the laws. There are laws, but sometimes not even those who should apply them know about the existence of these laws. But the situation is always changed by the people, who should really become citizens,” said the jurist.
“The higher is the number of people who realize the necessity of fighting the corrupt and non-professional political class, that this is the real process of building society and the state and that they should not give up before obstacles, the swifter will be things remedied in Moldova.”
The public debate “Equality: culture, practice or illusion?” forms part of the series of debates “Overcoming of European Integration Stereotypes by Communication”. IPN News Agency stages the debates with support from the Hanns Seidel Foundation.
